GW Cancer Institute approved for a $250,000 Engagement Award by PCORI

WASHINGTON (July 30, 2015)--The George Washington University (GW) Cancer Institute has been approved for a $250,000 Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award by the Patient-centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to create the first-ever online Community of Practice for patient-centered care.

"Generally, it takes 17-20 years for research findings to be put into practice," said Mandi Pratt-Chapman, director of the GW Cancer Institute, housed within the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. "Our goal is to spread best practices and lessons learned in patient-centered care and disseminate patient-centered outcomes research broadly through the creation of a Community of Practice -- researchers, clinicians and patients who share the same passion for improving patient-centered care."

With this award, the GW Cancer Institute will build off existing dissemination and implementation efforts by developing an online site called the Generation and Translation of Evidence (GATE). At first, the GATE will serve as an engagement and communication mechanism for patient navigation and survivorship, and later, other patient-centered care topics. The GATE will foster collaboration around patient-centered outcomes research dissemination and implementation and will include:

- User-generated research findings and intervention registry,

- user-generated best practices and lessons learned repository,

- a searchable question-and-answer bank,

- ask the expert small group sessions,

- special interest groups,

- and an e-newsletter.

"The GW Cancer Institute strongly believes in the power of collaboration," said Pratt-Chapman. "This project will break down professional and organizational barriers, support learning, and facilitate collaboration within and across organizations."

The project is part of a portfolio of projects approved for PCORI funding to help develop a skilled community of patients and other stakeholders from across the entire health care enterprise and to involve them meaningfully in every aspect of PCORI's work.

"This project was selected for Engagement Award funding not only for its commitment to engaging patients and other stakeholders, but also for its potential to increase the usefulness and trustworthiness of the information we produce and facilitate its dissemination and uptake," said Jean Slutsky, chief engagement and dissemination officer at PCORI. "We look forward to following the project's progress and working with the GW Cancer Institute to share the results."

PCORI is an independent, non-profit organization authorized by Congress in 2010 to fund comparative effectiveness research that will provide patients, their caregivers, and clinicians with the evidence needed to make better-informed health and healthcare decisions. PCORI is committed to seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders to guide its work.

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Media: For more information or to interview Ms. Pratt-Chapman, please contact Lisa Anderson at lisama2@gwu.edu or 202-270-4841.

About the GW Cancer Institute

The GW Cancer Institute (GWCI), housed within the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, envisions a cancer-free world and health care that is patient-centered, accessible and equitable. The mission of the GW Cancer Institute is to foster healthy communities, prepared patients, responsive health care professionals and supportive health care systems through applied cancer research, education, advocacy and translation of evidence to practice. http://www.gwcancerinstitute.org

About the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Founded in 1824, the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) was the first medical school in the nation's capital and is the 11th oldest in the country. Working together in our nation's capital, with integrity and resolve, the GW SMHS is committed to improving the health and well-being of our local, national and global communities. smhs.gwu.edu

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